Environmental Impact Report Public Review Period

01/18/2018

Public comments are now being accepted for the MiraCosta Community College District’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for implementation of the Facilities Master Plan for the Oceanside Campus. The proposed plan would consist of the addition of 11 new buildings and the demolition of several existing facilities that are in poor or non-functional condition.

The EIR is required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), established in 1970 to institute a statewide policy of environmental protection and enhance public participation in the environmental review process through scoping meetings, public notice, public review, hearings, and the judicial process.

“The draft Environmental Impact Report outlines the likely and potential environmental impacts of implementing the Facilities Master Plan for the Oceanside Campus,” said Tom Macias, director of facilities for the district. “It’s important to us to be as transparent as possible with the public review process, and to encourage our community to provide comments and be engaged in the process.”

In addition to the identified construction and demolition work, the project would also include the addition of new parking spaces, infrastructure improvements, landscape improvements, miscellaneous site improvements, and sustainability features. Proposed modernization projects would include new finishes, furniture, technology, and building systems which will extend the functional lifespan of the campus.

Macias noted that, based on analysis provided in the draft EIR, it is determined that there would be “no impacts or less than significant impacts” related to agricultural and forestry resources, air quality, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, land use and planning, mineral resources, population and housing, public services, traffic and circulation, and energy conservation. There would be less than significant impacts with mitigation related to aesthetics, biological resources, cultural resources, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, recreation, and utilities and service systems. The Draft EIR also determined that the proposed project would have no significant and unavoidable impacts.

The public review period for the draft EIR began on January 5, 2018, and will end on February 18, 2018. Electronic copies of the draft EIR and appendices are available on the district’s website at http://miracosta.edu/administrative/facilities.

Copies of the draft EIR and appendices are also available for public review during normal business hours at the Oceanside Public Library located at 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside CA 92054, and at the district’s Oceanside Campus Facilities Office located at 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside CA 92506, in Building 4200.

During this period, comments regarding environmental issues analyzed in the draft EIR or its accuracy and level of completion may be sent to Tom Macias, Director of Facilities, at tmacias@miracosta.edu or to Tom Macias, Director of Facilities, 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056.